Re-using old blood track trails ---HELP

griffshrek

Well-Known Member
Hello All

I'm in the process of starting to train my 11 month old HWV on blood trails ( i'm only on my 3rd trail)
What I am doing at the moment is marking a trail with the bio-degradable tape for me as reference points at my eye level ,this is in a small block of trees approximately 1 acre , the trees are well spaced .No dog walkers deer or people venture to these blocks (might get the odd fox & sheep)

The strike site is created with blood & hair then a lay a trail using blood and the odd bit of hair to the goal,then I start the track 4 hrs later .

What I am wondering is can my trail be reused I wont be taking the dog there for another week , to save me putting out new reference points all I will do is lay a new blood trail then follow at the set time .

I'm not talking about using the same trail over and over but perhaps once or twice in a month then make a new trail .

Regards...Neil
 
I'm no expert, but have trained my own dog with fair success. It may seem like a bit of a chore but you will just create uncertainty for the dog and what you are expecting it to track.

What I have always tried to do is replicate a real life situation. I create a shot site, sometimes with a decent amount of blood other times just with a little or only with pins. I then make the track with slots and an odd drip of blood along the way (fairly numerous drops when dog young and green, gradually reducing as more experience /ability showing) to the side of the track. (same as if the deer had an exit wound with blood coming from that side. Places like ditches where the deer may jump I jump and have a little splat of blood. Basically I imitate the wounded deer. Now if you are coming to the track 4 hours after making it in real life (which you likely will when you have your dog) you want it to track that track, not one close by that a different deer left 4 days ago.

It's fairly easy to get your young dog on track when in an area with no other deer scent, but in real life there will be alot of distraction and scent, and to get the dog on the right track can sometimes be difficult. This is where "you" need to use your knowledge of where the shot site was, what direction the deer set off etc. It sometimes takes my dog a couple attempts to set off after the right deer if a group has run with the shot one.

So my advice is to put the effort in and don't cut the corners, it will be you that gains from taking the time.
 
Yes you can reuse it. I do it all the time. However the dogs are smart and if the trail is exactly like the last one they will learn the trail. Therefore I mix it up a bit. If you've got a bit of space then have a couple of T junctions where the trail can go right or left. Unless your dog is exceptional a week and a bit of rain should wash out the scent if you don't over do it with the blood.
 
Always best to do training in a lot of different places and terrains.
Different soils smell different to a dog.
Sandy soils are different from heavier soils as they don't hold scent the same.
I have seen dogs react completely differently because the handler has not had them on this type of terrain.
Beech and Oak woods are also different compared with pine.
Then open arable fields are different again.

Lay your tracks in as many varied terrains and places as you possibly can.
Always easy to begin with so success breeds success.
ATB
George
 
Griffshrek, as George says change it all the time, your dog will learn to read markers you leave so put them where you will look not the dog, use others to lay the track the dog will also follow your track, build slowly and enjoy, atb wayne
 
Try attaching ur tape to clothes pegs or buy bright/fancy coloured pegs and just collect them as u pass while tracking

Dogs tend to have very site specific memories, they would mind tracking across certain things ditches etc, if a young gun dog flushes/chases a rabbit out of some cover u can bet the next time ur back to that area it will go straight to that exact piece of cover, noi matter how long u leave it

Also if u follow ur old track but change it and turn other direction it could confuse a young experienced dog, but good training for older dogs as checks following track and not where it went last time
 
Always best to do training in a lot of different places and terrains.
Different soils smell different to a dog.
Sandy soils are different from heavier soils as they don't hold scent the same.
I have seen dogs react completely differently because the handler has not had them on this type of terrain.
Beech and Oak woods are also different compared with pine.
Then open arable fields are different again.

Lay your tracks in as many varied terrains and places as you possibly can.
Always easy to begin with so success breeds success.
ATB
George

+1 Bio-degradable tape is OK but it takes a long time to break down. Best to take them with you as you go by with the dog. I use plastic tape on cloths pegs to mark out trails.
 
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